Program

2024 ICPPB & Biocontrol Conference Program

Up-to-date Program

Some information to plan your travel:

Sunday, July 7: Pre-conference workshops in the afternoon, starting at 3:00PM, and informal welcome reception at 6:00 PM

July 8, July 9, July 11, and Friday,  July 12 (until noon): Scientific program

Wednesday, July 10: All-day Excursion & Networking Day

Please see below for a list of sessions we are preparing.

Talks that fit the below sessions will be given by invited speakers and by speakers chosen based on the submitted abstracts.

Sunday afternoon Pre-conference workshops at 3:00PM:

General sessions on plant-associated bacteria agreed on to date:  

The plant holobiont in frame with the One Health and Planetary Health concept

This session investigates the plant as a holobiont including all pathogenic and beneficial members of its microbiome. Integrating the holobiont into the one health and planetary health concept has important implications for disease and biocontrol.

Colonization and establishment of bacteria in or on plants

This session will discuss the factors impacting establishment of bacteria, pathogens and biological control agents, in and on plants with important implications for plant susceptibility to pathogens and efficacy of biological control agents.

Molecular mechanisms at the basis of plant-bacteria interactions

This session will include topics such as the molecular biology and genetics of virulence mechanisms deployed by plant pathogens, induction of plant immunity by biological control agents, and plant immune responses to bacteria in general.

Ecology and Evolution of plant-associated bacteria

The mechanisms by which bacteria evolve are universal but the impact on plant pathogens and biological control agents are different. Studying factors impacting mutation and horizontal gene transfer are leading to targets for management and sustainability of biological control.

The role of protozoa, insects, and nematodes in plant-bacteria interactions

Bacteria on plants are part of a larger community, which includes protozoa, insects, and nematodes. This section will thus discuss advances in our understanding of how these diverse organisms interact with each other and affect plant health.

Plant pathogens - unraveling their secret life in non-plant environments

This session will focus on the environments that pathogens and biological control agents occupy when they are not associated with plants, what these environments are, and how they have adapted to survive in them, for example, water, soil, and the atmosphere. 

Common challenges and opportunities in plant and animal health and biosecurity

This session will include speakers researching either or both plant and animal health and biosecurity topics such as plant and animal immunity, the role of microbiomes in plant and animal health, and commonalities and differences in pandemic prevention.

The importance of bacteria in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)

CEA practices can reduce microbial diversity leaving niches open for pathogen invasion or opportunities for establishing suppressive communities. Issues and opportunities arising from CEA practices will be explored.

The role of plant-associated bacteria in crop resilience to climate change

Anthropogenic climate change is increasing plant stress and disease susceptibility across the planet. Microbes can relieve or augment stress. This session will explore the impacts of pathogens and possibilities for microbial mitigation of climate change related plant stress.

Host responses to bacterial plant pathogens and biocontrol agents

Plants respond to both plant pathogens and biological control agents. Understanding the molecular basis of these responses are critical to improve plant disease resistance to pathogens and the efficacy of biological control agents.

Entering and switching between careers in academia, industry and government

This session will include panelists whose career path has switched between academia, industry, and/or government to help early career scientists uncover career opportunities they have not yet considered. 

Sessions focused on plant pathogenic bacteria agreed on to date (parallel sessions)

Next generation pathogen detection and identification

The availability of relatively inexpensive sequencing technologies, rapid analysis pipelines, and databases are enhancing strain-resolved detection and identification. Genomics approaches and point-of-care methods have the potential to change the praxis of plant diagnostics.

The use of AI and big data in disease detection and pathogen identification

Remote sensing and high throughput DNA sequencing lead to huge amounts of data. These data open new opportunities in early disease detection and pathogen identification but present equally huge challenges because they require new algorithms and AI for scientists to analyze them quickly and make sense out of them.

Innovations in bacterial plant disease management

This session will highlight new approaches to management of diseases including nanotechnology, RNAi, CRISPR, engineered plant immunity, plasma, and other novel approaches and delivery systems will be covered.

The importance of science communication and social sciences in preventing and responding to disease epidemics

In this session, a panel of plant pathologists and social scientists will talk about their experience in responding to disease outbreaks and the challenges in effectively communicating with growers, politicians, and the public about tough decisions to make during an outbreak. 

Sessions on bacterial biological control agents agreed on to date (parallel sessions)

Success stories in biological control 

This session focuses on biological control products that are successfully used today to manage bacterial plant diseases. Presentations will include how these products successfully went from ‘bench-to-field’, putative formulation or regulatory challenges, and effective communication of best practices and expectations of efficacy.

Single biological control agents or entire microbial consortia?

This session will consist in two talks highlighting advantages and challenges when using single biological control agents compared to entire microbial consortia followed by questions from a moderator and an open discussion.

How to facilitate collaboration between academia and industry in the development of biological control agents

In this panel discussion, academics who have successfully collaborated with industry or started their own companies and industry representatives working with faculty will talk about their experience and answer questions from a moderator and the audience.

Taking a new biological control agent from the lab to the market traversing the regulatory landscape

This session focuses on taking basic research to commercialization.  What are the roadblocks and opportunities? What is involved with regulations/registrations/licenses? What is needed for formulations, and approaches for effective communication to stakeholders and industry for successful deployment and reasonable disease control expectations?

All day Networking event

There will also be an all day Networking event on Wednesday, which will include a visit to Virginia Tech's Kentland Farm, Mountain Lake Lodge (location of the filing of the iconic Dirty Dancing movie; lunch will be served), the Blueridge Parkway (with optional hike or winery visit), an evening filled with music and dancing food and drinks in the small town of Floyd.